


The Invisible Boy

by theatre_btch



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, I'm just really mean to this kid, Mild Language, They use some naughty words sometimes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-03-18
Packaged: 2019-11-23 12:17:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18151787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theatre_btch/pseuds/theatre_btch
Summary: Wrenching his eyes open to escape the awful thought, Buttons noticed something. He couldn't see himself.It wasn't uncommon for him. Whenever Buttons got too excited or scared, he tended to fade a bit. Though he never went full invisible unless he meant to.Whatever, he'd just.. stop doing that then. He closed his eyes and concentrated on becoming visible.It didn't work.





	The Invisible Boy

**Author's Note:**

> Okay this is the first time I've actually ever finished something and the first time I'm posting anything on ao3 let alone the first time I've posted Newsies. 
> 
> The idea for this au came from a Newsies discord with my friends a few months ago, and I finally got around to sharing it! Enjoy I guess!!

Buttons shot up, gasping in short and shaky breaths. He squeezed his eyes shut and focused on slowing his breathing. 

Another nightmare.

He’d been getting them more frequently after discovering his powers. He could get in trouble for not telling anyone. He could get thrown out, or beat up, or wind up in the Refuge—

His heart rate again quickened at the thought of that awful place. Jack had told numerous amounts of terrifying stories about the prison. It advertised itself as a safe environment for misbehaving children, and there were plenty of those on the streets of New York. However, inside held a nightmare worse than anything Buttons could ever imagine.

Images of kids who just barely escaped the place flashed through his mind, and he hated thinking about what might happen to someone like him in there.

Wrenching his eyes open to escape the awful thought, Buttons noticed something. He couldn't see himself. 

It wasn't uncommon for him. Whenever Buttons got too excited or scared, he tended to fade a bit. Though he never went full invisible unless he meant to.

Whatever, he'd just.. stop doing that then. He closed his eyes and concentrated on becoming visible.

It didn't work. Buttons' eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. That was new. He had a good control over his visibility when he was calm. He desperately tried not to panic as he tried again.

No dice. Again.

Again.

Again.

Shoot.

He was stuck. Buttons couldn't be seen and there was nothing he could do about it. It wasn't like he could tell his parents, they didn't know. And he was grateful for that. While having superpowers wasn't necessarily uncommon, it was frowned upon. 

He'd heard kids in class whispering about how supers were freaks. That they didn't belong in New York, or anywhere else.

Buttons wasn't sure how his parents felt about supers, and he wasn't ready to find out. A tear rolled down his cheek. He really did it this time. There had to be something he could do. Someone he could go to.

Miss Larkin!

Jack had talked about Miss Medda Larkin and her theater loads of times. She was as supportive of supers as possible. Buttons had met her once or twice and he could agree, she was one of the nicest people ever.

Buttons shot from his bed and grabbed his sneakers. They, too, became invisible as he slid them on his feet. He still didn't understand why, but he was glad they did.

Not bothering to tie his shoes, Buttons slowly opened his door. It was early morning, none of his brothers or sisters were out of their rooms yet. He carefully tiptoed to the front door and unlocked it as quietly as possible. 

He opened the door, hoping his parents wouldn't worry about where he'd run off to. They probably wouldn't even notice he was gone. Buttons was the youngest of his siblings, so he tended to blend in even without his powers.

Buttons closed the door behind him and flew down the stairs of his apartment, not wanting any elevator encounters with people on their way to work. Finally, he made it to the street, and off he ran. He wasn't quite sure where he was going, but the theater couldn't be too far, right?

That day, Buttons quickly realized just exactly how big New York was.

He also realized just how scared someone got when a disembodied voice asked them for directions.

The sun was much higher in the sky, and Buttons figured he was no closer to becoming visible than before. His feet hurt, he was hungry, and he was sweating. 

Buttons peered over a man's shoulder to look at the time on his phone. 10:34. He'd been walking for four hours.

Buttons stifled a sob and continued walking. He'd make it there somehow. Even if it took him all day.

•••••

Mike and Ike roamed the street, having been shooed out by their mother, who had to take a work call. They couldn't blame her. The twins tended to be a handful. 

But they didn't mind. It was fun to walk around and hear what people had to say. Even if they didn't really say it out loud.

Okay so maybe it wasn't polite to read people's minds without consent, but it wasn't like anyone was going to find out! Plus, some people had some juicy stuff on their minds. Like that guy who was planning to propose to his girlfriend through a Nerf war. Or that girl who was in the middle of a lizard trade off! As long as people had interesting stories to tell, the twins didn't feel bad snooping around. It was what they did best!

Mike hadn't figured out anything spectacular today. The most interesting thing was when Ike found a guy worrying over what type of Crocs to wear to dinner. 

He was starting to think that today was going to be a bust. That is, until he heard a familiar voice ringing through his mind.

“Oh no, I'm lost. Oh god. No one can see me, I’m gonna die out here. I’m only twelve, I can't die. Oh no. Oh god.”

He turned to Ike, who was already facing him, a knowing look on his face.

“Did you hear that?” “Yeah, it sounded like Buttons.”

It wasn't anything new for the boys to be communicating telepathically. It was easier than whispering. And louder too. They both looked ahead of them, but there was no sign of their friend.

“I can't see him.” “What if he's invisible?” “Oh shit!” “Michael! Language!”

Ike glared at Mike for his vulgarity, but turned his attention to the crowd of people around them.

“We've gotta find him before we lose him.” “Hey, there's an empty space over there!”

Ike craned his neck over the sea of communers, and, sure enough, there was a clearing about ten feet away. He grabbed Mike's hand and pulled him forward. They both began to feel through the air, hoping to come into contact with something solid.

Mike's arm stopped dead in the air and a small squeak rang out. He grabbed what he assumed was Buttons’ arm, Ike following suit. “Alley.” Ike pointed, and began to pull his friend and brother to an empty alleyway behind them.

“Guys? What are you doing? How did you find me?” Buttons questioned, looking between the twins.

They stopped in the space between the grocers and an apartment building and turned to him. “We heard you.” Mike reported. Ike tapped his temple, letting Buttons know they meant telepathically. 

“Didn't your mom tell you to stop doing that?” Buttons tugged his arms away, folding them over his chest. Ike and Mike shrugged simultaneously, smiling slyly. 

“That's not important,” Ike added, “What's important, is why you were roaming the streets alone and invisible.” The twins looked expectantly in Buttons' general direction, since they couldn't exactly look at him.

“I, um, I woke up like this, and, uh, and I can’t.. stop.” Buttons stuttered, his voice high at the end, making his statement sound more like a question. Ike and Mike stared right through him, listening intently. “So,” He continued, “I thought Miss Larkin could help, but I, uh, I got lost.”

“How the hell did you get lost?! The streets are numbered!” Mike exclaims, dramatically throwing his arms out. Ike smacks him on top of his head, then turned his attention back to Buttons. “You said you were going to Miss Medda’s?” Ike asked.

Buttons nodded, before realizing that since he was not visible, they couldn't see. “Yes,” He confirmed.

Mike and Ike shared a look and seized Buttons’s arms again, dragging him from the alleyway. “Wh- Guys where are we going?” Buttons looked from Mike to Ike in confusion as he stumbled through the large grouping of people. “To Miss Medda’s of course!” Mike chirped, quickening his pace. Of course the twins knew where her theater was. They made it their business to know everyone and every place.

When they finally jogged up to the grand building, the twins threw open the doors, yanking Buttons inside. The theater was huge, the distance from stage to entrance had to have been a football field long. Well maybe not that big, but pretty big.

“MISS MEDDA!” They both screamed in unison, hands still firmly around Buttons' wrist. The curtain on the stage parted, and a very disgruntled woman stepped out. Buttons immediately recognized her as Miss Larkin, having met her a few times before.

Mike and Ike's faces broke into grins and they ran to the stage. Or they tried to. Both boys went in opposite directions, stretching Buttons so that he let out a small yelp before the boys came crashing back into him.

“What are you boys doing?” Medda called across the building. Ike and Mike held up Buttons arms, showing him off. Miss Medda shot them a look. She couldn't see him.

Buttons cleared his throat and offered a small, “Hello.” Medda's expression went from agitated to concerned, and she made her way down the stairs to the trio. 

“Buttons?” She asked, reaching a hand out to him. The twins finally released him, allowing Buttons to grab Miss Medda's hand and give it a squeeze. “Hi.” He greeted again. 

Medda's hand closed around his and she looked to where she assumed his face was. “Why are you invisible, hon?”

“I..” Buttons trailed off, turning to look at Mike and I'm, who hadn't left yet. Medda felt the movement and got the idea. “Boys, thank you, but could you give the two of us some privacy?”

Ike quickly nodded, and grabbed his brother's hand before marching out the door. Once they'd gone, Medda led Buttons down the rows of seats and backstage. “Now,” She said sweetly, setting him down on the stage manager’s stool, “What happened?”

Buttons sighed and recounted his nightmare to her. His family had found out about his powers and left him on the streets. He'd been picked up by Snyder and tossed in prison, and no one came to save him.

Medda reached up to his face and brushed away tears he hadn't known had fallen. “I'm so sorry baby. No one should have to go through what's happening to you, but I need you to focus now.” Buttons sniffled and nodded, closing his eyes. “Okay, what now?”

“Focus on your breathing. I want you to take  
nice, long breaths. Okay?” Medda squeezed his hand in reassurance. He did just what she said. 

In…

and out.

Medda let him calm himself down for a few moments, then clutched his hand again. “Now picture yourself, visible, and think about only that. Can you do that for me?” 

“Yes.” Buttons answered, eyes tightly pressed shut in concentration. He slowly flickered into view. Little by little, he became less transparent.

Medda smiled as the boy came into view, his face scrunched up in thought. “Buttons? Honey, open your eyes.” 

Buttons could've cried when he saw himself in solid color and nothing see-through. He threw his arms around Miss Medda. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” He whispered, gripping her tightly. She chuckled, patting him on the back. “That was all you, kid.” He pulled away, a wide and crooked grin on his face.

“Now go find those twins and have some fun!” She chimed, clutching his shoulders. Buttons nodded rapidly, and ran outside. There were Mike and Ike, waiting for him. 

“Buttons!” They cheered, jumping on him. He giggled and wrapped his arms around the two. Mike pulled away and pointed down the street. “Let's go get food! I'm starving!” Ike shook his head and laughed, taking out some money their mother left them with. 

“C'mon Buttons!” Mike grabbed Buttons's arm again and took off running. He couldn't help but belt out a laugh as Ike chased after them.


End file.
